Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

This medal has proved to be a bit out of the ordinary. It is the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awarded to 1079 WO1A Arthur Joseph Thomas. The WO1A threw me at first. However, I have found out that there was previously two levels of WO1 based on certain qualifications and the higher (A) received more pay. Thomas was a draftsman in the Royal Australian Engineers which made him eligible for this higher grade.

Getting a lead on Thomas proved difficult. There is no listing for him for either WWI or WWII. One of my researchers, Morris from Queensland, found a record in the NAA and had it digitised for me. This proved to be invaluable. It is the application for Thomas to be commissioned in 1938. One piece of information proved to be the key for this search. Thomas' wife is named in the application (page 16). Her name was Elizabeth Gordon Thomas. While Arthur Joseph Thomas is quite common, the inclusion of Gordon in his wife's name is not. I was quickly able to find her death details. This meant Bill could narrow the search in the death notices and electoral rolls. The death notice gave the name of their daughter which in turn led to her two sons, Peter and John. I've spoken to Thomas' grandson Peter and I'll return the medal shortly.

The returned medal tally is now 602.